RYE Y STORY PROJECT: ERIC

I’ve been a member of the YMCA my whole life. I started in Westfield, New Jersey at the Y learning to swim when I was a kid. I went to the Y camps every summer as a youth—soccer, basketball, hockey—every camp they had, I did. And all through high school, I played basketball with my friends at the Y and lifted weights. And then, when I graduated college, my first job was the sports director at the Y in Madison, New Jersey. And so, I have had a lifelong relationship with the Y. And then of course when I moved to Rye, I immediately joined with my family and have been a member here for the last eight years.

I’ve always gravitated to the Y as opposed to other fancy gyms because there’s a sense of community. I know many familiar faces and interact with the staff. Everybody is very gracious. The Y has a very important part in the community. It’s not just a place where people go to work out. It also serves an important purpose. I believe in the Y’s mission, so that’s why I always maintain my membership.

I work out in the gym and take my kids to the ExerZone, which they enjoy very much. They also like playing air hockey, which we don’t have at home. And they did all the classes when they were younger.

To me, fitness is a lifetime endeavor. It has a part in every stage of your life. At this particular stage it’s really about health and mental wellness, to be able to do the things that are important for your body, but also very much helps your mind as well.